Patronage Monopoly and the Pendleton Bill [pp. 185-207]

PA TRONA GE MONOPOLY AND THE PENDLETON BILL. 201I
our lords of politics. For English lords and bishops were called
upon to surrender not merely patronage monopoly, but special
privileges enjoyed for centuries-the very foundations of the
House of Lords and the state church.
These later examinations, thus made open and free, which
tested comparative fitness, which broke down the barriers of
monopoly and made all patronage-mongers, labels, and recommendations useless-which are the vital part of that new system
which makes superior merits the supreme criterion for appointment in a royal and aristocratic state-these are the renowned
"Competitive Examinations "-the horror of every partisan,
every monopolist, every unscrupulous officer clothed with the
appointing power which he wishes to prostitute.
Competitive examinations do not require any peculiarity in
the questions. They may be as easy or as difficult under
one form of examination as under another. But the very
process of a competition of merit strongly tends to raise the
standard. Allowing every one the same opportunities, competitive examinations bring the merits of many into comparison
in order that the government may have its rights by getting
the best, and the best his rights by getting the office. If
any administration should think that only those of one party,
or of one faction of a party-or only Catholics, Methodists,
or Mormons-should be examined, a declaration of faith before competing could be made to exclude all others. The
creed of churches as well as a political test of fealty were for
centuries-before there was justice and virtue enough to enforce
examinations of merit-the conditions of all office-holding in
Great Britain and in nearly every nation of Europe. During
long periods, the partaking of the communion was essential to
an appointment, and in parts of Germany even to the keeping of a beer-garden or a brothel. Of whatever class examined,
competition will give the government the most competent.
I cannot enter upon the practical methods of competitive
examinations. They were made general, in I870, in the home
government of Great Britain as they had before been made in
British India. They are easy. Largely testing character, there
is no difficulty in making that test complete by the aid of a
period of probation before an absolute appointment. They